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Souter to retire… let the fun begin!
Cyburbia - urban planning community -
Justice Souter to Retire from the U.S. Supreme Court
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/…ing/index.html
The timing of this seems odd. I would have thought any retiring justice would have waited at least a year into Obama’s term before retiring, barring any medical issues. Any thoughts on who Obama might tap as a justice?
Souter was an interesting justice. Nominated by Bush 1.0, who expected a conservative justice, he ended up being a moderate, independent voice (though nothing compared to Justices Kennedy & O’Conner, who you could damn near never predict). Certainly not a high-profile justice.
To Make Planning Relevant, Turn to Open-Source Methods
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
Urban planning is falling into obsolescence, according to this piece, but employing old bottom-up techniques that value input from a variety of sources will make it relevant again.
Battle Brews Over "Significant" Hotel’s Fate
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
Now that Los Angeles’ Century Plaza Hotel has been listed as one of the nation’s most endangered historic places, preservationists argue the irony behind developers’ plans to demolish the building to “green” the area.
Save Your Glass
Cyburbia - urban planning community -
There is a company that offers "free", "no catch" windshield repair services locally. They want to set up shop in my municipality. The way they operate is that they pay anchor stores such as grocery stores or big boxes a small amount of rent in order to take up approximately 5 parking stalls. They claim to not charge customers anything "in most cases" because they get indivudual customers auto insurance companies involved. They also claim that they are doing everyone a service by drawing customers to the anchors.
To me, this sounds like a too good to be true scheme or a way to get around obtaining a permanent location. Our zoning ordinance requires special use permits for kiosks, outdoor accessory businesses, and auto uses (they dispute that they are a repair business and feel that they are no more intrusive than replacing a headlight). I think we’ve got enough to stand on to discourage this, especially given that they will be using parking stalls dedicated for other uses and installing attention grabbing temporary signage, trailers, etc. Just wondering if any of you have experienced this one.
First rug and "art" sales, now this… 
Urban Livestock
Cyburbia - urban planning community -
NYT article - Cities Consider allowing urban livestock.
The article mentions several cities that have recently made changes to their Code to allow certain types of livestock within the city limits.
Has your municipality made a change? Has there been an increase in requests for such a change?
I like the idea but think there are definite obstacles and concerns with allowing urban livestock. Would code enforcement have to learn about proper Coop construction? Does Animal Control or the Humane Society oversee the proper treatment of livestock?
Rybczynski: People, not Architects, Make Icons
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
According to architect critic Witold Rybczynski, most iconic architecture never intended to be, and it should stay that way.
The Art of Balancing Retail
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
Diversity is important to neighborhood commercial areas, but getting the right balance of retail and restaurants without disincentivizing the former is not so simple.
Salamander Could Stymie Development
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing the Tehachapi slender salamander as an endangered species, which could cause problems for large developments in California like the massive Tejon Ranch project.
High-Speed Rail: Thinking Beyond the Station
http://www2.pps.org/rss-support/images/openacs_logo_rss.gif Places In the News
By: Renee Espiau and Aurash Khawarzad
“Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination,” was a visionary statement made by President Obama during the April 17th announcement of America’s first national high-speed rail initiative. Obama calls for high-speed rail in 10 regions across the US that will become “a system that reduces travel times and increases mobility, a system that reduces congestion and boosts productivity, a system that reduces destructive emissions and creates jobs.”
What is missing from the President’s statements are the potential of rail to improve our communities, and to contribute to better places. In cities where quality transit exists, rates of car ownership tend to decline, which means less land is required for road space and parking, and more land can be devoted to residential and retail development, which combined with quality public spaces, creates great communities. When thoughtful land use, urban design, and public space management are coordinated with transit investment, transit stops can become corner stones of cultural activity and economic growth. An example is along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor in Arlington, Virginia, where development has been focused around several transit stops since the early 1980s. As a result, 73% of riders in the corridor travel to and from Metro stations on foot. The corridor is now a regional destination that has a current assessed real estate value of over $10 billion, and accounts for over 32% of Arlington’s real estate revenue from only 7.7% of its land area.
Alternatively, communities that do not coordinate development with their transit systems do not experience the full benefits of transit. They often plan for cars and traffic rather than people and places. As the picture above illustrates, many transit stops are surrounded by fast moving highways, blank walls, and a sea of parking. The economic value of the land around transit facilities should not be underestimated. Portland, Washington, DC, NJ, Dallas, and many other cities, have realized this value and have developed transit villages that allow for a variety of travel options.
PPS, in partnership with Reconnecting America, has undertaken a major initiative called “Thinking Beyond the Station” that addresses the challenges of integrating transit and development into communities by promoting a philosophy of “community-supportive transit” to guide transportation and community planning decisions. This approach focuses on planning and designing transit facilities and station areas in order to create valuable public places, including opportunities for Placemaking and capturing the value of public transportation investments for local communities. In addition to building capacity in municipalities and transit agencies, PPS is also working to apply these principles in specific transit corridors and transit-oriented developments.
As we embark on a new era of American transit, we need to think beyond the station to the communities that host them. We have an unparalleled chance to improve mobility, but we must first focus on accessibility and connecting people with goods, services, and each other. President Obama has set the train in motion, but it’s up to all of us to hop on board and reap the full benefits of a 21st- century transportation system.
Click here to begin Thinking Beyond the Station.
More information:
www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/Great_Corridors_Great_Communities.pdf
http://www.pps.org/info/Thinking_Beyond_the_Station/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/16/A-Vision-for-High-Speed-Rail/
http://www.dullescorridorrail.com/pdf/TOD_Leach_ArlCo.pdf
Data Proves Rail Lines = Fewer Cars
Planetizen - Urban Planning, Design and Development Network
Transport Textbook maps new data about car ownership in Melbourne, and finds clear evidence that transit makes a difference.
